Mini Chaff Cutter Machine Restoration - From Flea Market to a Functioning Tool

In this restoration video, you will see me restoring a mini chaff cutter machine. The machine is antique and rusty, and I decided to restore it because of its unique design. I never saw one the same, did you?
The machine is made of heavy cast iron with tin parts. I tried to keep an antique look and preserve some of the marks of time that are working to prove its age/authenticity. I removed only the prominent casting marks and rust pits. Such machines can be found in a meager number, so they deserve to be rescued and preserved even if they will no longer serve as household tools but as items to be displayed. The restoration process took me almost two weeks.
What is a chaff cutter machine?
A chaff cutter is a mechanical device for cutting straw or hay into small pieces before mixing it with other forage and feeding it to horses and cattle.
I hope I have caught everything, but if you have any questions about the restoration process, you can comment, and I'll get back to you! Cheers! Johnny.
Become a member of the channel: / @rustyshadesrestoration
#restoration #restorationvideos #chaffcutter #howto

[@rustyshadesrestoration]

Hi folks! I saw this old chaff cutter on a towel lying on the ground at a Flea Market, and I observed its unique beauty, so my heart roared: Restore it! So I did! I hope you like the video! Thank you for your time and support! Johhny!

[@AntonioCarlos-sj5fi]

May your ❤continue to roar, always!

[@costrio]

An interesting device. Hand power -- from a time when electricity was a novelty?

[@rustyshadesrestoration]

I think it can be from 30s to 40s. So yes, many villages weren't electrified.

[@frogjunk]

Looks great! I think the blades should not be sharpened on both sides but just one. It needs adjusting so it cuts the hay like a shear. But it does look awesome!

[@rustyshadesrestoration]

Thank you! You are right; it needs some adjustment. The blades were sharpened on both sides. 😀

[@Dirk-Ulowetz]

The handle could be from Bakelit. Early plastic, quite popular in these days.

[@rustyshadesrestoration]

That's a relevant point. I will try to clean it.

[@mago_8145]

@@rustyshadesrestoration It might be ebonit. Rub it - ebonit stinks.

[@Tengu66]

Pretty sure that is Bakalite. Be very careful as they often put asbestos in it.

[@Dirk-Ulowetz]

@@mago_8145 Bakelit stinks, too. But it stinks different.

[@anniewardlow9297]

I also heard if you rub Bakelite it smells like formaldehyde.

[@dyllanridpath8079]

Aahh nothing like having a bowl of ice cream then going to my room and watching restoration videos to go to sleep. And for those who don't know what chaff is it's the husks of corn or other seed separated by winnowing or threshing.

[@rudybriskar5267]

Excellent! The three things I love, the blast cabinet, cleaning up the casting and powder coating.

[@samanthadean1083]

The handle looks like some kind of wood/wooden composite to me… Awesome job!!! ❤️❤️❤️👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[@rustyshadesrestoration]

Thank you very much! When I hit it, it sounds like wood, too, but for me, it looks like some sort of plastic...

[@oneshotme]

It looks great and you did a wonderful job restoring it as well!!!! I enjoyed your video so I gave it a Thumbs Up

[@rustyshadesrestoration]

Thank you! 😀

[@lisagrafton2529]

I love what you do! You're an artist at bring back old metal things, and making them new again. You also use your talent in editing your videos, so they are fun and relaxing to watch! Well Done!!

[@rustyshadesrestoration]

Thank you so much for your kind words and for watching my videos. 🙂

[@MrsIsmena]

In your hands, restoration looks like art😮 Good job ❤

[@rustyshadesrestoration]

I'm glad you enjoyed the video! 🙂

[@jamessisk8380]

That was a more challenging and complicated restoration than you’d at first expect - but you did a lot of hard work and did an awesome job! Great video.

[@rustyshadesrestoration]

That's true! The broken bolts at the beginning made me think twice if I wanted to go all in, but I decided to continue and see what this item would bring more. Till the end, it was very satisfactory, and I'm happy that I didn't give up on it.

[@just.jose.youtube]

​@@rustyshadesrestoration💪🙂🙏

[@ultrajd]

Those toothed rollers would make great mace heads.

[@rustyshadesrestoration]

True 😅

[@dyllanridpath8079]

Uh...... Ok?

[@sheilatodd7280]

The thing I guess that triggers ASMR for me is watching the sand blasting. It amazrd me! Such a simple thing but so powerful and precise. Could watch someone do that for hours!

[@rutikuiwa7133]

Very good job 👍👍👍

[@rustyshadesrestoration]

Thank you! 😀

[@user-dz8dg6ey8g]

Джонни, трудовая реставрация и итог классный. Материал похож на эбонит. Спасибо за видос, лайк мастеру.

[@rustyshadesrestoration]

Спасибо вам большое! Мне приятно знать, что вам понравилось видео.

[@Joyfully8888]

Wow!!! It’s so fascinating to watch someone with your skill level give this device an amazing restoration!! You are truly gifted! 🥰

[@rustyshadesrestoration]

I'm glad to hear that, Joy! Thank you for your kind words! 🙂

[@anniewardlow9297]

Hi Johnny! 👋👋👋 All I can say is if I had to use the chaff cutter we wouldn't be eating a lot of chaff. (whatever that is?) Thanks for another great video. Take care my friend! 👍

[@rustyshadesrestoration]

Thank you, Annie! Have a wonderful weekend! :)

[@anniewardlow9297]

@@rustyshadesrestoration You too buddy!

[@grahamturner5963]

That was fascinating 👍 I've heard of this, but never seen one. Your attention to detail is amazing

[@rustyshadesrestoration]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@mskayla7747]

Well, that is unique. I've never seen nor heard of one of those, but apparently there was a need for it. Nice job. 👍

[@rustyshadesrestoration]

My thoughts exactly. I''ve tried to find a similar one on the internet, but I couldn't. Thank you!

[@KallePihlajasaari]

It may have been a tobacco cutter. It was distributed and sold a a rope in some times and places.

[@georgebrown8312]

Wonderful job you did restoring the old chaff cutter. It looks much better and it works like a charm too. Excellent work indeed.

[@rustyshadesrestoration]

Thank you so much!

[@MASI_forging]

Such a great restoration 👍👍

[@rustyshadesrestoration]

Thank you! 😀 Cheers!

[@Faesharlyn]

I think the handle is just galvanized rubber, the texture looks like the fabric tubes its cast in Great find and work restoring it!

[@rustyshadesrestoration]

Thanks for the info!

[@djevo3441]

Amazing job my friend congratulations

[@rustyshadesrestoration]

Thank you very much! Cheers! 🙌

[@larrykelly2838]

Nice restoration

[@rustyshadesrestoration]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@skovbeats1929]

Wow, amazing joh bro!

[@rustyshadesrestoration]

Thanks, buddy! ✊️ Cannot wait to see you!

[@RonaldoSilva-tn8in]

Restaurada máquina de corte de chapas estranhas 😉

[@bulentiseri8468]

Good work ❤❤❤

[@rustyshadesrestoration]

Thank you! ✌️

[@buntek50]

Super robota ❤😅😅😊

[@rustyshadesrestoration]

Dziękuję bardzo

[@andrzejporeda7281]

Super jest to odrestaurowane tylko polecam na początku piaskować a nie jakiś tam chemię stosować piaskować metale później malować pozdrawiam serdecznie. 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@costrio]

Aa a young child I would watch my father repair and build things. Today's children now have the opportunity to watch and learn tips from around the world. (Playing catch up. ;)

[@tomswindler64]

That was a great little restoration,surprisingly had a lot of moving parts,luckily no real damage to mechanisms.good job,just keep on doing what you do best and carry on.great video 😎😎😎👍👍👍

[@rustyshadesrestoration]

I'm glad you enjoyed this project too, Tom! Best wishes! Johnny

[@vinceianni4026]

Hello mister beautiful restoration beautifully restored good job well done

[@rustyshadesrestoration]

Thank you, Vince!

[@L0CCO]

The best

[@rustyshadesrestoration]

Thanks! 🙂

[@terminalpsychosis8022]

It's very pretty now. Making nice bedding for rabbits and stuff.

[@1970sSupertramp]

Don't bite me............................................but pop rivets, you're so much better than pop rivets.

[@rustyshadesrestoration]

What's wrong with them?

[@yamilcoloma6677]

@@rustyshadesrestoration i agree, looks tacky

[@aydarN]

Nice job! Old handle at 14:50 looks like ebonite.

[@rustyshadesrestoration]

Thanks! I was thinking the same, but not sure 100%. Do you know how to test it?

[@aydarN]

@@rustyshadesrestoration Hard to tell. Technically it is hardened rubber, so it has specific smell while burning and specific feel while pressing.

[@x84pav84x]

17:43 тут нужно было нарезать резьбу и закрутить винт. Это облегчило бы последующие разборки.

[@angeldawnmorningstar]

You must be quite chuffed with your chaff cutter ..HaHa 😂😂 Outstanding Outcome ! Well Done ! 😇❤

[@rustyshadesrestoration]

I am! 😅😂 Thank you for watching! Cheers 🍻

[@kayleysaunders4589]

What is a dead locked pin? 2:47

[@rustyshadesrestoration]

There is no second hole to push it out. It is like a deadlocked door from the outside. To enter, you must pick an axe 😅 like I picked the drill in this case.

[@kayleysaunders4589]

How does the drilling shown above at 6:47, not ruin the threads for the lugnuts?

[@kayleysaunders4589]

Sorry never mind I saw that you later rethreaded the holes.

[@rustyshadesrestoration]

😀

[@rustyshadesrestoration]

Yes, anyway, I will need to do it because the old threads won't fit our new standards.

[@kayleysaunders4589]

@@rustyshadesrestoration really? The thread standard changes after a few years?

[@rustyshadesrestoration]

That's not a few years; this machine was made in the 30s-40s.

[@darlong9917]

looked like bakelite before you made wooden one

[@riikkaheikkinen6268]

Beautiful Great Handsome 👍👍

[@rustyshadesrestoration]

Thank you!

[@nostalgiamaker1561]

Looks good, what brand is your wet stone sharpener? I’m looking to get one.

[@rustyshadesrestoration]

Thank you. I have a holzmann. 🙂

[@bwilliams463]

I went to a welding shop to have a couple of broken bolts removed from a '73 Oldsmobile head manifold. He put a box-end wrench over it, burned off welding rod until it filled the wrench, then unscrewed it and knocked the bolt 'head' out of the wrench with a couple of firm whacks. Easiest method I ever saw.

[@rustyshadesrestoration]

Thanks for sharing! 🙂 I have to try that!

[@bwilliams463]

@@rustyshadesrestoration That's the way I think it went, but that was 25 years ago. He may have pounded the box-end onto the still-molten slag....Long story short: try not to permanently weld one of your good wrenches to a bolt.

[@DerOpa.]

Well, it´s a restauration.

[@modellbahnagenda]

Kompliment 👍👍👍

[@rustyshadesrestoration]

Thank you

[@just.jose.youtube]

I'll say the bad things, all the rest was very good! :p -The patch you riveted to the dark piece (where the hay is fed) would better be soldered in place; -the colour, would that green be period correct? -kinda hard to find a sequence in the shots, I feel like there's a lot of jumping from one piece/task to another... I don't find a continuity throughout the video ; -watching the powder coating baking is so mesmerising, can you include it? This is just my humble opinion, I'm far from being expert in any of these matters. Just providing feedback you may find useful (or not! 😊) cheers!

[@rustyshadesrestoration]

Thank you! I appreciate any feedback. I will respond to you in lines: 1. Soldering or brazing will do the job, but I have done that many times,s, and I wanted to show other methods in this video (a doable method for everyone). 2. The color selection for the old farming item resulted from careful research and consideration. Historically, these items were often painted in light green, red or black. This is RAL 6021. (Please note, the color may appear slightly different due to the position of my studio lamps or camera settings. You can verify this by searching it on Google.) 3. We may need some chapters here to be easier to follow, but things are in order. If you skip, you may lose track. a)presentation b) disassembling c)cleaning rust d)repairs/making missing parts etc. e)painting f)all parts ready g)assembling h)presentation i) testing. Following this path makes sense and has some logic behind it, but we aren't all the same or see things the same, right? :D Cheers

[@just.jose.youtube]

@@rustyshadesrestoration thanks for the comprehensive response! Exactly, we're all different, I shared my view and obviously other people may and will have a different one. Keep it up! 💪🙏

[@vladimirtoshev5533]

Добре но си се справял и по-добре.😆

[@x84pav84x]

Мастер не знал, что есть специальные экстракторы, для извлечения сломанных болтов и наделал себе лишней работы.

[@rustyshadesrestoration]

Не у всех есть такие экстракторы :D

[@Ms.Cats-if.you.please]

♥️♥️♥️

[@neccosan-of3ni]

🐮🐴🌿❤✨✨

[@rustyshadesrestoration]

Thank you for watching! 🙂

[@x84pav84x]

15:36 так можно занозить руки.

[@user-sl3il5sz2s]

Greetings from Russia. It looks like the handle was made of PCB. This is a composite material made from fabric impregnated with phenol-formaldehyde resin. Resistant to cracking, UV rays, good insulator, etc. It was used very widely in the past.

[@rustyshadesrestoration]

Thank you for the precious information. I will google it. Cheers from Poland!

[@user-sl3il5sz2s]

@@rustyshadesrestoration It would be more correct to call it textolite

[@TommyJensen-pl8qz]

why don't you weld that piece of plate it's kind of sloppy to use pop rivets

[@rustyshadesrestoration]

The fix is durable and sturdy. Welding such an old tin, full of rust pits, may cause you big surprises, such as getting huge holes in front of your rod, and you will just sit there and cry 😢 😂 Don't ask me how I know. 😅 And what will you get if welded successfully? The same result! (It is not a water tank), so, does it matter? 😆 PS: 99% of people watching this show want to learn new methods and easy that everyone can do at home, so when I decide this, I'm thinking about them too. Not everyone knows how to use or owns a welding machine. Another PS: I weld when necessary; the next video will probably have a lot of welding; cast iron welding. Cheers 🍻

[@mitkasan8915]

This material is carbolire

[@rustyshadesrestoration]

Is this the same thing as Bakelite?

[@tutengeymkovsky8365]

Не понимаю, зачем вытачивать заново обычные болты. Они в дефиците? Или автору материал девать некуда?

[@x84pav84x]

Лезвия, к сожалению, не очень хорошо заточены.

[@rustyshadesrestoration]

Они очень острые, но их нужно отрегулировать и приблизить к сену. Эти болты предназначены для того, чтобы придвинуть лезвия ближе. Кроме того, он будет лучше работать с очень сухим сеном, но это всего лишь май :D

[@Fill952]

Меня одного бесит то, что реставрируемые материалы, почти у всех рестовраторов, не погружаются полностью в раствор.😅

[@snackslack9773]

The pittings and castmarks makes every item look terrible. You make the right choices of stuff to restore, just can't make the right finish especially the item's imperfections. I believe every item deserve a premium finish and with that makes a premium video. But great effort.

[@rustyshadesrestoration]

Thank you. I'm not always aiming to make things newer than they were or erase every mark on the item. Some are giving personality, and they are proof of authenticity. Too new can look bad too on antiques; trust me, they may become simple, cheap replicas. Cheers

[@rogerpatrongonzalez5800]

🥃👏👍🥃👏👍🥃👏👍🥃👏👍🥃👏👍🥃👏👍

[@rustyshadesrestoration]

Gracias! :)

[@x84pav84x]

14:54 текстолит.

[@rustyshadesrestoration]

Это то же самое, что бакелит? Другие говорят, что это бакелит.

[@x84pav84x]

@@rustyshadesrestoration это именно текстолит, обратите внимание на тканевую основу. У бакелита тканевой основы нет.

[@JoseContreras-ph6nz]

👍🤗🙏🏻🇻🇪

[@dirkvierke3958]

Schneidet aber nicht besonders gut . Ich würde die Messer dichter an den Schacht bringen.

[@rustyshadesrestoration]

Hallo! Ja, das muss gemacht werden, aber ich glaube auch, dass ich besseres trockenes Heu schneiden kann; meins war ein bisschen nass. Danke für die Anregung.

[@teleuser]

Couldn't buy 10 bolts ?

[@rustyshadesrestoration]

Of course, I could, but the shop didn't had what I needed at that time and online would take too long, so I made my own. It is fun and relatively fast. 😀

[@dyllanridpath8079]

I say cause it's more enjoyable

[@sarmatskif6660]

Робить але погано,ножі невідрегульовано.

[@rustyshadesrestoration]

так, мені потрібно наполягти на коригуванні

[@sarmatskif6660]

@@rustyshadesrestoration або,ручкою тре більш до вихідного вікна притискати для ефективнішого різання,бо люфти як я розумію там доволі великі.

[@fernandovelazquez-bb8wj]

Con laja no c jode

[@lennoxramberran1459]

Total madness just to cut some grass, invention not so great in my view, but restoration still good anywhere

[@x84pav84x]

Холодная закалка это глупость.

[@rustyshadesrestoration]

Почему? Что лучше?

[@x84pav84x]

@@rustyshadesrestoration потому что я не особо доверяю такому способу. Он максимум защищает от коррозии, но не закаляет металл. Потому что именно закалка нагреванием изменяет структуру металла и делает прочной (я не знаю всех подробностей, студенты в моей стране говорят сопромат (сопротивление материалов) это ад). Для закалки нагреванием необходимо подготовить льняное масло, оригинальное, не нагретое (есть по этому поводу ролики, на KZbin) нагреть металл, но не до красного цвета, а до того состояния, когда вот вот он станет красным и бросить его в масло. Вот тогда закалка будет настоящая. Этот способ называется воронением.

[@x84pav84x]

@@rustyshadesrestoration я так и знал, что тупая администрация не пропустит ссылку на ролик. Его название Простейшее Воронение и Меднение Стали DIY Bluing, вставляйте в строку поиска именно на русском языке. Там субтитры можно сделать английскими.

[@x84pav84x]

Название ролика Простейшее Воронение и Меднение Стали DIY Bluing, вводите его на русском языке. Субтитры можно сделать английскими.

[@regardsdenfants3797]

Работать нужно в перчатках. Всегда. Грязные руки некрасиво смотрятся в кадре.

[@rustyshadesrestoration]

Это грязь от тяжелой работы; это не позор, и в этом нет ничего уродливого или необычного. Перчатки издают раздражающие звуки, которые мешают ушам людей, и мне приходится часто ими пользоваться, что очень вредно для нашей планеты. Поймите, мыло и вода - это лучше :)

[@Norman_Peterson]

You could have taken that thing and sprinkled it with fake rust and pretended it was actually much more damaged. Many channels do this trick, many channels make fun of their viewers by simulating FAKE restorations. With painted rust. You don't, you don't need this bullshit, that's why I'm here because you don't fool people.

[@rustyshadesrestoration]

I appreciate that you observed this fact. These kinds of channels are a shame for our niche, and they also can affect us, the ones who genuinely love the art of restoration. Best, Johnny!